All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

The Chardonnays of Summer (and Hummingbirds!)

Year 12,

The Chardonnays of Summer! This is an annual event at my house was yesterday evening. I love to photograph hummingbirds visiting my garden’s bee balm. The hummers, and Chardonnay, are not letting me down! Both the hummers and I get to drink our favorite libation. Take a close look at the images. I have tried to show off how hummers interact with flowers … from flying backwards, flying in place, and somehow knowing when they can grip a leaf for a quick perch / rest while feeding. Finally scroll down to the final two images … and enjoy my fun!

Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds in my Yard

However, should you not have a perennial garden, now is the time to visit a local wildflower garden. Here in Duluth you should visit Hartley Nature Center’s garden (right next to the nature center building). The milkweed is at prime blossom right now, and more than monarchs love milkweed’s nectar.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds at Hartley

The Chardonnays of Summer! Nectar for Everyone!

Bird Your Local Cemetery!

Year 12

The past few mornings have seen me birding Duluth’s Forest Hill Cemetery. From now till the end of Fall Migration the results can be fantastic, and the permanent residents don’t tend to mind. If your local cemetery has a pond, focus upon the water. Forest Hill has two ponds and the birds know it is a time of plenty in terms of food. Better yet, due to some live humans who frequent Forest Hill, the birds are somewhat accepting of your birding presence. (learn more about Forest Hill and obtain the GPS coordinates via my My Minnesota Birding Locations web page)

I’ll lead off with a Great Blue Heron. This bird has been hanging out at the cemetery for almost one week. Make certain you watch “The Strike Video”. I have slowed down this action by a factor of two. The video also shows you the strike at normal speed. (video link for email subscribers)

Reflective Mornings … Great Blue and Green Herons

And perhaps my biggest treat … a pair of Belted Kingfishers are busy fishing all the time and somewhat permissive of my getting closer. Their young will fledge soon. One fact about Belted Kingfishers which is unusual for bird species … the female is the more brightly colored sex. As female birds tend to do most of the incubation of eggs, their colors are normally more drab to help camouflage their presence.

Smoked Moose

Year 12

The smoke continues … The wildfires up in Ontario and Manitoba are sending their smoke down to Minnesota, and the skies are gray. Heck, you can smell the smoke at ground level.

Thus, I give you smoked moose. I saw this grand lady up on Toomey Williams Forest Road two mornings ago. Seeing and photographing the moose was my consolation prize. Only a few minutes before I had a “lifer”.

My lifer … As I drove along this remote forest road, I saw what I thought was a clump of dirt. No!!!!! There was a timber wolf cub / pup cuddled up and sleeping or keeping warm at sunrise (it was 37F outside). I did not recognize it as a mammal first, and unfortunately flushed the little guy. The young wolf ran across the road only ten yards in front of me and disappeared into the forest. Amazing sight!

Here is the moose.